Paint the Town 2011

Northern and Southern Hills Residents Paint the Town

Deadwood SD- NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources and volunteers celebrated the 16th annual Paint the Town June 4th-11th. The event was apart of NeighborWorks American National NeighborWorks Week.  Armed with paint brushes and cans of paint, residents from the Northern and Southern Hills painted a house in the communities of Box Elder, Lead, Deadwood, Edgemont, Sturgis and Rapid City. 

Six homes were painted throughout the Black Hills. Including the first home that was painted for Paint the Town in 1994.  Long time Deadwood resident Bill Auer has lived in his home for 75 years.  Being located right on Main Street, and high traffic area, it is one of the first structures that many see when they enter Deadwood. To improve the visual impact and the quality of Mr. Bill Auer’s home volunteers scraped, painted and made the home shine.  The first “Paint the Town” was held in June 1994 when 25 volunteers painted one house in Deadwood.  Over the last 16 years, over 80 homes and over 3000 volunteers have dedicated time to this annual event.  Paint the Town is not just for the homeowner, it has a positive affect on the whole community. 

“Community improvement activities are a vital piece of neighborhood revitalization,” said Sharon Martinisko Community Outreach Coordinator of NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources. “The volunteers are making their neighbor’s homes look better, and in doing so you’re making the whole community look better. For most of these families, there’s no other way this is going to happen, and they just appreciate it so much.”

This year marked the 28th Anniversary of the event sponsored by NeighborWorks America.  During National NeighborWorks Week, organizations across the country mobilize tens of thousands of business people, residents and government officials in a week of neighborhood change and awareness.

Plant Swap 2011 

In the Lead-Deadwood area, volunteers planted flowers for Plant the Town, painted homes, and the Fourth Annual Community Plant Swap was held giving both new and experienced gardeners the opportunity to share and swap plants and ideas.  NeighborWorks® weeks ended with a bang at the First ever Lead Live Open Summer Market.  All of the events helped bring community members together.  If you would like more information on NeighborWorks Week, or any of the other events that took place please contact NeighborWorks at 605-578-140.

NeighborWorks® ‘Paint the Town “is sponsored by NeighborWorks® America, South Dakota Housing Authority. Additional sponsors and volunteers for the 16th Annual Paint the Town Event include: Deadwood Gulch, TDG Communications, Lead Chamber, First Interstate Bank of Sturgis Lead/Deadwood and Rapid City, BoxElder Job Corp, Black Hills Baptist Church, Northern Hills Federal Credit Union, and Wells Fargo.

For More Information Contact

NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources

Media Contact: Sharon

605-578-1401

www.neighborworksdhr.org

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